


café au lait

by rita5



Series: the johan/usnavi canoe [1]
Category: Blackish, In the Heights - Miranda
Genre: Coffeeshop AU, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-21
Updated: 2017-03-21
Packaged: 2018-10-08 17:36:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,492
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10392216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rita5/pseuds/rita5
Summary: usnavi runs a coffee shop and johan thinks he's cute





	

**Author's Note:**

> i dont know what this is im sick so this is probably awful but also probably the first of many johan/usnavi oneshots because THERE AREN'T ENOUGH
> 
> for midnigtartist who deserves so much better???? and selene-the-moon who requested a johan/usnavi coffee shop au

Every day, Usnavi woke up at the asscrack of dawn to drag Sonny's lazy butt out of bed and open the coffee shop directly below their apartment. Their building was stuck between a deli and an organic ice cream shop - the perfect place to put a café. Usnavi felt no remorse charging $5 or more for coffee if the recipient was a white businessman or some hippie trying to impress their friends from yoga class. The morning rush started as soon as Usnavi unlocked the glass door and flipped on the lights at the front of the building, illuminating the street with LED bulbs forming the words, "Café Francés". Which, Usnavi could admit, was a really strange name for a coffee shop owned by a Puerto Rican family. His parents came up with the name - he inherited the business when they passed away but he didn't have the heart to change it. Café Francés translated roughly to Coffee France. Or, maybe it was supposed to be "France Coffee". Not that either one of those options was better. Usnavi considered himself lucky that no actual French people came to the shop - he'd be lucky if they didn't laugh in his face.

This morning started out the same as any other. Usnavi ground coffee beans while Sonny fished the press out of a cabinet and shouted out greetings each time the bell on the door rang. Sonny was usually on the register during breakfast hour - even though he was hard to get out of bed, the kid had energy and patience Usnavi could neither fathom or summon until at least 8am. Usnavi worked up a light sweat bustling back and forth behind the counter, surrounded by the heat from the press and the steamer. By the time the long line of people in suits and ties dwindled down to just a few stragglers seated at random tables with their laptops, Usnavi was ready for a break.

"Yo, Sonny, let's trade." Usnavi called out after Sonny took the last order. Sonny held up a thumbs up with one hand as he swiped a card with the other.

"I got you, lemme finish up here, you go get a drink." He answered without turning around.

Usnavi relaxed his shoulders and took a deep breath, finding an unused paper cup on the counter and filling it with water. When Sonny bounced over to the bar to make the last drink, Usnavi took his place at the register and sipped delicately from his cup. He glanced at the digital clock at the corner of the - supremely outdated - register. 8:34am. Oh, thank god. They would have another thirty minutes before the people taking early lunches came in with their deli sandwiches. Usnavi leaned against the counter and closed his eyes for a moment until the bell rang, signalling the entrance of another customer.

"-and I said, 'Of course I'll give him a ride, Bo!' as if I had a choice in the first place! I swear, being an uncle can be _so_ exhausting. There's a reason I don't have any kids, Bo had them all for me. I'm practically their father. Actually, I take that back, I can't take responsibility for... all that mess. Anyway, I'll call you back, darling, I'm at this coffee place I saw on Yelp. Yes, that's the one! I think they had three stars. Maybe four. So we'll see. Okay. Peace and love. Bye, Barbara."

Usnavi barely had time to open his eyes and process the auditory overload before a tall man was sauntering up to the counter, leaning over and crowding Usnavi's space. Usnavi blinked to let his eyes adjust, which took a long second even in the dim light of the shop. When he could see again, his eyes focused on two lips pursed in an annoying sneer. Usnavi was immediately irritated. Apparently, that grating voice belonged to the most smug being on the planet, Usnavi thought as his eyes trailed up the dark face of a man not much older than himself. He took in the man's appearance and tried to get a read on him.

The man's hair was bushy and fluffed out behind his head, tamed only by a tie-dye bandana haphazardly tied above his ears. He had a thin, silky scarf tied around his neck in some fashion unfamiliar to Usnavi and it was contrasted dramatically by the scoop neck sweater hanging dangerously below well defined collarbones. Usnavi snapped his gaze back up to the knowing face of this unnamed man and prayed that the blush on his cheeks didn't stretch to his ears. He was only blushing because that outfit was so embarrassing, anyway. Usnavi mentally categorized the man as 'wannabe hippie' and cleared his throat in an attempt to get the guy out of his personal space.

"Can I help you?" Usnavi squeaked, reaching up one shaking hand to adjust his hat.

"I sure hope so." The man drawled smoothly. He leaned back - finally - and sniffed almost daintily as he looked up at the menu.

"Well, just let me know when-"

"You serve coffee?" Usnavi furrowed his brow and tried to ignore the indignation he felt after being interrupted.

"That is correct."

"Excellent." No Name purred, "I'll have a café au lait."

Usnavi smirked. So, he was one of _those_ customers. A know-it-all who thinks since he watched one Youtube video on how to speak French, he's familiar with the entire culture. Yeah, right.

"Do you mean café con leche?" Usnavi said innocently with a slow blink for good measure. He fought to keep the smirk off his face as those intense eyes shifted back down from the menu. The man narrowed his eyes and stared at Usnavi.

"Non, I mean café au lait. Are you familiar? I thought, by the name of this shop.." He purposefully trailed off, waiting for Usnavi's response.

"Oh! Well, you see, café means coffee in French and Spanish. My parents were from Puerto Rico and I guess they thought the name was clever. I speak Spanish. Well, I speak French, too, but not as well. I know what you meant by café au lait, I was just teasing you. Would you like a small drink or..?" Usnavi babbled on, eyes fixed on the slowly growing grin on the taller man's face. He flushed again, sure that he'd embarrassed himself and scared off a potential customer, even if that customer was a prick.

"Johan." The man said, thrusting a hand out so fast it made Usnavi jump. Usnavi blinked.

"What?"

"Johan. That's my name. I'm introducing myself. It's something people do when they meet, maybe you've heard of it." Johan cocked an eyebrow and Usnavi mentally cursed himself for being such an idiot.

"Of course! Um, I'm Usnavi. Named after the boat. Well, a boat. That sounded really stupid." Usnavi wiped one sweaty hand on his apron before shaking Johan's offered hand a little too hard.

"I know. I read your name tag. What kind of name is Usnavi?"

"What kind of name is Johan?" Johan grinned toothily and let go of Usnavi's hand.

"Touché." Usnavi returned the smile and let his hand drop back down to his side.

"So, coffee with milk? You want any sugar?" Johan shook his head and Usnavi was mesmerized by the way his curls bounced with the movement.

"That was just for show. I was teasing you, too. I'll have a mocha frappe, please. The biggest size you carry." Usnavi snorted with laughter and tapped the order out. If he gave Johan a slight discount, nobody needed to know.

"That'll be $4.67." Johan handed over his card and Usnavi swiped it before calling out the order to Sonny, who was texting instead of doing any actual work.

While Sonny made the drink, Usnavi made small talk with Johan about his nieces and nephews and they bonded over having crazy family situations. Usnavi barely glanced up when Sonny passed the drink over, too busy cackling with his head thrown back at some lame joke Johan made. When he finally calmed down, Usnavi coughed and wiped a tear from his eye. He straightened his back and admired the way Johan seemed to glow in the late morning light filtering in through the windows.

"So, Usnavi, what time do you get off?" Usnavi looked at the time on the register again and was shocked to see almost thirty minutes had passed. Early lunch customers would start coming in at any minute.

"I get off for lunch at noon. I usually grab something quick at the deli next door." Johan nodded and slurped his melted frappe.

"I'll meet you there."

Before Usnavi could come up with a reply, Johan was kissing his cheek with lips cold and smelling faintly of chocolate. Usnavi leaned into the kiss, eyes wide, and felt his face heat up as Johan whirled around and strolled right back out of the coffee shop.

**Author's Note:**

> spoiler they're in love


End file.
